The Ancient And Accepted Rite.

it may be observed , elucidates the ternaryidea with peculiar brilliancy and erudition in his well-known commentaries . The colours worn by a Prince of Mercy

symbolize the Masonic trinity—they are green , an emblem of wisdom ; red , of power ; and white , of harmony . We must now pause , leaving to a future occasion our remarks

upon the remaining degrees . It will be seen that the Ancient and Accepted Rite possesses a philosophy peculiarly its own , and although we are not prepared to agree

with some of the principles it advocates , it cannot be questioned that there is much to be learned in its secret rites by an earnest student of Masonic lore . Many of the

apparently incongruous elements of the system , when defined and exemplified , prove parts of a well-considered whole , and many obscure allusions become clear when

viewed m connection with the complete system . As , to paraphrase the words of the poet , " nothing that relates to

Freemasonry can be foreign to us , " and as many of our readers are interested in these sketches , we will continue the subject as soon as possible .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

* Our best thanks are due to those brethren who have clearly established the fact that the word " speculatyf , " as applied to Freemasonry , is to be found in a MS . the date

of which is admitted not to differ many years from 1490 . One step in advance has thus been won on behalf of those who consider that early Freemasonry ( though very different from that of the present day ) still

contained within itself , so to speak , the germ of much that now-a-days has been developed into something better and more extensive than of yore : but still not different , in its

fundamental principles , from that of which every earnest brother should set himself lovingly and teachably to disentangle the primitive elements .

I venture , with some diffidence , to call attention to a curious statement , which , if it can be verified , will , in my judgment ,

afford a not unimportant corroboration of the early existence of a Society banded together for something more than the mere "securing of bread and butter . "

In the Book of Constitutions , edit . 1738 , page 70 , it is stated that in 1350 " John de Spoulee , call'd Master of the Ghiblim , " rebuilt St . George ' s chapel . Bro . Findel ( Hist ., p . 91 ) quotes the same title for this architect ( spelling it" Giblim " ) .

Now , I want to know if there be any historical evidence that masons were actually called " Ghiblim " in 1350 . If this be the case ( and it is not Bro . Findel ' s habit to endorse or adapt more than he

feels to be proved , concerning the ancient Freemasons ) , then it seems to- me perfectly fair to argue that a mere trades-union , devoid of any element of what we

understand by "speculatyf" mingling with their " chapitres and congregacyons , " would have been most unlikely to have gone to the Hebrew language to find for themselves a title . P . H . NEWNHAM .

In a recent communication which I have received from an esteemed Past Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

England he referred to the tau and the cross as being symbols formerly used in Egypt , and happening to mention the subject to a diligent student of ancient mythologies , he sent me "the following remarks , which may prove interesting to some of your readers . R . W . L .

THE THREE TATJS . In the old Hebrew alphabet the Jn , Thau was originally in the form of a cross . The tau or T is the last letter , and in conjunction with A answers to the alpha and omega of the Greeks ,

i . e ., the first and the last . As the D and T are interchangeable , hence we find AD as in Adam , Adonis & c . In the science of astronomy the cross stands for the equinoxes ; in both cases this symbol represented the year ' s

commencement and end . The sacred year began at the autumn equinox , and the civil year at the vernal . The autumn cross representeddeath , when vegetation is under the destructive principle , and life , in the vernal when vegetation is renewed

hence the idea of the cross representing life and death . Among the Scandinavians and Germans this idea was represented under the form of Thor ' s hammer , by which he produced and changed all things . The ancient British cross

was a tree bared of its branches . As Thoth of the Egyptians is the same with the German Thor , both in the physical represented the sun . The Egyptian j"nfi , Thoth , gives us the Greek 6 ( 01 , Theos , as the Greeks invariably change the

oth terminate of the Chaldees to as , and the Latins to us ; hence their deus , the latter changing the Tli prefix to d . Thoth is also represented by an I or obelisk or pillar , or column , as the name implies , on which were engraved

the hieroglyphics . Thoth was also called Hermes , which means a heap of stones , and has reference to the temples covered over with the sacred writings as they are found in Egypt . Thoth was also called Trismegistis , i . e ., thrice

great , hence his symbol of the three taus to represent the beginning , the perfection , and decay of letters . The ancients never inserted their names to their writings , hence it is said that Thoth or Trismegistis was the inventor of

letters . No doubt the term Word of God , or Theos , or Thoth , conies from this circumstance Thoth was called Taut , and it is most probable that our word taught ( to teach ) is also derived from this source .

"From the time of-Ruffius , of Socrates , and of Solomon , " Dr . Clark states , " this triple hieroglyphic , the crux ansata , has occasionally exercised the ingenuity of the most learned scholars . " The jewel of the Royal Arch among

Freemasons is expressed by a sign consisting of three tans , joined by their feet at right angles , thus completing the monogram of Thoth , or Taut , the symbolical and mystical name of hidden wisdom , and of the Supreme Being among

the ancient Egyptians—the 0 « os of the Greekssometimes as the sun in the lower hemisphere ( see Jablonski i ., 235 ); and hence we plainly see what is meant by an ancient patera with a knob in the bottom of it . The Greek Theta

is another symbol of Thoth , as already stated , and is another form of the Lingam and the Zoni , like the Thoth or pillar of the generating power of nature . The phallus , which in Greek signifies a pole ( hence our own May pole ) , is the

same . Ihe Theta and the T combined gives us the crux ansata . Sometimes it is represented by a cross fastened to a circle ; sometimes with the letter T > surmounted by a circle . By the circle , says Kercher , is to be understood the

Creator and Preserver of the world ; as the wisdom derived from Him which directs and governs it , is signified by the T > the monogram , as he farther considers , of Mercury , Thoth or < j > T , Ptha . I am of opinion that the circle with a dot in the centre is meant to represent the

feminine element or principle . As some asserted , the first principle was feminine , or darkness , which was called athur , that long eternal night out of whose womb all things originated , Jablonski deemed the crux ansata the same as the phallus , i . e ., male principle . The T represents the three

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

great ones in the moral , i . e ., the man's virilities and the circle the female . The three great ones are _ also heat , light , and water ; the latter feminine , hence mere , the sea or' mother , the earth being surrounded by water , and the dot

represents the earth in the circle . Another form of the feminine principle is the vesica so prevalent in church architecture , alluded to in Solomon's song , where he says , " O , my dove , thou art in the cleft of therock . " - The term for dove

in Hebrew is yone , and yone is the female organ in conjunction with the ling , i . e ., male ; hence the yone lingarn of the Hindoos , which is a complete symbol of the universe . The earth , Brama ; the water , Vishnou ; and Siva , the sun or

fire . The rim of the lingam is called the argha or ark , the pedestal in the centre is the mast of the ark or ship , which idea is carried out in our church steeples ; the ling , or mast , and the church , the nave , from navis , a ship . This idea

is further illustrated in the form of the church doors and windows—the entrance or opening of the door , female—the outside line , male . In Gothic architecture we have the three great ones represented in the form of a trefoil , or triangle ,

which in all cases when ths point is upwards represents the male ; when downwards , the female ; when united , a conjunction of both . The sun and the earth is also represented by these symbols . The term pyr in pyramid

signifies fire . Fire is masculine ; for " God is a consuming fire , " identical with Siva , whose symbol is fire . His wife , Parvati , is the earth . Of course there is a theological meaning to all this , but in general the theological meaning is too heavenly to be understood .

THE ORDER OF MISRAIM . In the " Freemasons' Calendar for Ireland , " 1848 , compiled " under the sanction and by the authority of His Grace Augustus Frederick , Duke of Leinster , M . P ., 111

Sup . Head , and Most Worshipful Grand Master , and of the Right Worshipful the Grand Lodge of Ireland , " at page 35 , I find among the " Representatives of the Grand Council of Rites , " under the head of

" Order of Misraim , Dublin , " the names of John Norman , Richard Wright , and William Woodhouse . Turning to page 37 , I find under the same heading , in addition to the above names , those of the Duke of Leinster ,

Gd . Master , John Fowler , and W . Conolly The Duke was , and is still , M . P . S . G . Commander 33 ° ; Fowler was Lieut . Grand

Commander ; Norman , G . Sec , H . E . ; Wright , G . Treas ., H . E . ; Conolly a K . H ., and Woodhouse a Prince Mason of the Original Chapter 18 .

It is clear , therefore , that the Order of Mizraim , or Misraim , was recognised , not only by the S . G . C . 33 for Ireland , but by the Grand Lodge itself ; as at page 42 it is stated " that this Grand Lodge strictly

prohibits as unlawful all assemblies of Freemasons in Ireland , under any title whatsoever , purporting to be Masonic , not held by virtue of a Warrant or Constitution from this Grand Lodge , or from the other

Masonic bodies recognised by , and acting in unison with , the Grand Lodge of Ireland . " At page 78 will also be found , under the heading of France , " Puissance Sup . de Misraim , " Michel Bedarride , Grand

Conservateur , and it may be added that Bedarride never merged his powers in those of the Grand Orient of France , although it is true that the latter body gave permission

to its subordinate lodges to work the rite of Misraim , a privilege which they now exercise , or rather did before the late war turned Frencli Masonry topsy-turvy .

In the "Irish Calendar" for 1858 , at pages 39 and 40 , the " Order of Mizraim " also figures—represented by the Duke of Leinster and W . Woodhouse . After this it is idle to contend that the Order of Misraim is a spurious rite . VERITAS .